Garland Police Shoot Dog in Raid That Nets One Ounce of Weed

Daniel Hall's dog, Boyd, was 10 years, two months, and 24 days old on July 9 but still spry. They'd played fetch together the day before. But that day, according to Hall, the golden retriever/rottweiler mix was lounging on the floor while Hall, his girlfriend and a friend sat on the couch watching Two and a Half Men.

Then, all of a sudden, a crashing sound.

"I turned around, and there was a cop shooting my dog," Hall says.

That much isn't in dispute. Garland Police Department spokesman Mike Hatfield said the SWAT team was executing a no-knock search warrant and, in the process, shot the dog. Hall says Boyd was on the ground when the police entered and made no move to attack. Hatfield said the department is conducting an internal affairs investigation -- as it does whenever an officer discharges a weapon -- but that officers don't shoot animals unprovoked.

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"There have been numerous drug raids where dogs were present and were not shot," Hatfield said.

But Hall's was, and he's doubly upset because he doesn't think the police had cause to raid his home. Hatfield noted that they did have a warrant, meaning a judge had decided there was enough evidence to justify the maneuver, but Hall's not sure what that could be.

He has never dealt drugs nor possessed them in any quantities and, aside from a couple of misdemeanor charges in Dallas County that were dismissed, has no criminal record. He does smoke a bowl or two of weed from time to time, but he describes himself as "a very casual, friendly smoker," a description that fits with the ounce or so of marijuana officers found. (I'm waiting on a call back from Hatfield to confirm the amount).

Hall spent the night of July 9 in jail and bonded out the next morning. That day, he took Boyd's body to a piece of land his friend owns in the country, dug a grave, and buried him.